中国钢材周报：扁平及长材价格10月29日企稳

Weekly Price Signal

The China steel market displayed distinct divergence between spot closing prices and weekly trend averages for the period ending October 29, 2026. On a spot basis, long products saw marginal recovery, with Rebar (φ10 / HRB400) rising 0.27% to FOB $557.67/t and High Speed Wire Rod increasing 0.26% to $577.06/t. Flat products showed a stronger daily momentum, where Hot Rolled Coil (HRC) gained 0.58% to touch $526.36/t, pushing above the critical $520 threshold. However, Cold Rolled Coil (CRC) remained stagnant at $586/t, reflecting a lack of upstream demand momentum despite the HRC rebound.

• Weekly Average Decompression: When analyzing the aggregate 5-day averages (Oct 25-29 vs. prior week), the market reveals a broader downward pressure that overrides the daily spot noise. The HRC weekly average stands at USD 517/t, representing a compression of USD 6/t (▼1.1%).

• Medium Plate Contraction: The most significant weekly adjustment occurred in the plate segment. Medium Plate weekly average dropped USD 11/t (▼1.8%) to USD 593/t, indicating that industrial orders may have been front-run during the mid-week rally before correcting.

• Infrastructure Sector Stability: While Rebar daily prices ticked up, the weekly average settled at USD 548/t, down USD 4/t (▼0.7%). This suggests volume contraction in infrastructure procurement at current price levels, necessitating a defensive purchasing strategy rather than aggressive accumulation.

Cost & Freight Matrix

Cross-Border Grade Equivalence

Procurement teams transitioning between domestic Chinese standards and international specifications must align material grades to prevent compliance failures. Based on current GB specifications against ASTM/EN standards:

• Rebar / Structural Steel: The domestic HRB400 / Q235B standard is the primary supply source. Engineers importing to GB-aligned markets should note that Q235B roughly correlates to ASTM A36 or S235JR, though tensile strength yield points differ by approximately 40MPa compared to American equivalents.

• Plate Specifications: For the Medium Plate (Q235B) analyzed this week, direct substitutions for ASTM A572 Gr 50 or EN 10025 S355 are not 1:1 equivalents due to varying impact energy requirements at lower temperatures. Verify the 3-group temperature impact data for critical infrastructure use cases.

• Wire Rod Substitution: Q235 High Speed Wire Rod (φ6) is generally equivalent to AISI 1006 / 1008 (low carbon). When sourcing for cold forming, ensure the sulfur and phosphorus limits in the Mill Test Certificate (MTC) meet EN 10264-2 requirements for high-quality wire rod.

Procurement Action

Strong Buy Window: Hot Rolled Coil (HRC) With the weekly average at USD 517/t and daily spot recovery to $526.36/t, the spread between weekly averages and spot closing prices creates a tactical entry point for 30-day hedging. Use the **Landed Cost Calculator** to determine if current Ocean Freight + Insurance + Tariff structures allow for immediate procurement at the ~$517/t floor.

Hold & Monitor: Cold Rolled Coil (CRC) CRC remains priced at $586/t with zero weekly variance. There is no urgency to buy. Wait for a dip below USD 575/t (referencing the weekly average) before executing contracts.

Defensive Sourcing: Medium Plate The 1.8% weekly decay is the steepest drop in the matrix. Sourcing managers should negotiate volume discounts based on this trend rather than accepting spot rates. Utilize the **RFQ Gateway** to request quotes with longer delivery windows, securing capacity while prices remain suppressed.

Industrial Steel Note: The Pre-stressed Strand (82B) has shown the highest daily resilience (+0.80% to $946.85/t). If your project requires high-tensile materials, lock in these rates immediately, as they are decoupling from the broader construction sector weakness.